What I was looking for
by sadie2504
Summary: Michael wishes to fulfill his dream career and improve his personal life, so he decides to leave everything and move to India. There, he meets a beautiful bright-eyed man that turns everything else into secondary priorities.
1. Chapter 1

Hello!

Here's the first chapter of this story I've got in mind, let me know what you think :) hope you enjoy it!

*I own nothing about these two, obviously. I just love them to death, haha.

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It was definite, there was no other option: he had lo leave. It had all slowly become so dull in the past two years – three, maybe four? - He had started feeling the inevitable heaviness of age creeping in and life leaving him behind with each passing day, and he was sure he shouldn't feel like that at his 30 years of age. He was supposed to feel young, to feel alive. That's why he needed to leave his office job, his rented flat, all those empty dates as soon as possible. He was sure the only person he'd miss would be his closest friend, January, but their friendship would last all their lives even if he went away for a thousand years, so he wasn't worrying about that.

Michael had saved a lot of money since, to be honest, he did have a good job, but was certainly unhappy with it since what he really wanted to do was photography, so he decided it was time to do something about it and use what he had saved to save himself and re-arrange his life; he felt a rush of panic whenever he thought about growing old with his actual job, not noticing the years passing by and seeing his dream as a far away fantasy that never came true, so he thought about a place. He usually thought and fantasized about places, but in his heart he had always loved the idea of India; he loved the bright colors, the relationship Indians kept with nature and their spiritual philosophies. He was also very physical and athletic, and had been interested in learning yoga for a few years too, but had never attended more than a couple classes in the gym, and he was sure they had nothing to do with the actual thing.

In the middle of a May night, he was unable to sleep as he thought what he needed in that moment, what he imagined would be a perfect life for him; he trembled lightly as the decisions were being made in his mind, and he smiled for himself in excitement, wanting it to be the morning already so he could go to the office and quit, then come back home and buy a flight to that magic, mystical place, and leave as soon as possible, not knowing when he'd come back. The sole idea of it made him feel like he was already better, it helped him breath deeper, his mind felt clearer.

Next morning finally came and it took longer that what he wished for him to quit and explain to his boss what was happening and arrange everything for his renounce. His boss had tried to convince him to stay in various ways but realized it was a lost battle since he had never seen Michael so sure of anything before, and all was left to do was to wish him luck. When he came back home, he made a big cup of coffee for himself and dove in the internet looking for a suitable place to stay in India, made his arrangements in just one day and in less than a week, he was in the airport saying goodbye to Jan. He caressed her blonde hair caringly as they hugged tightly, and listened to her as she told him in her older sister kind of way to take care, to not eat anything that looked too weird, to wear condoms and write to her a lot. He laughed and agreed with a couple of those things, and kissed her cheek with a smile; "I'll wear condoms and write, I promise", he said, and received a little playful punch from her, "take care, too", she said bossily and he nodded with a roll of his eyes. They hugged again and he left hurriedly as he heard a call for his flight.

He could almost physically feel how his soul was getting lighter as the airplane was getting higher and higher, and the clouds underneath them along with the first rays of that bright early sun they rarely saw down in London felt like a warm cleanse, like beautiful strings of hope. His eyes watered a little, he was proud of himself, he was finally starting to feel like a young thirty-year-old, with all his life in front of him, with all the possibilities in a tray for him to choose, and he could be happy. He took his camera out and took the first photo of his adventure, a picture of that beautiful sky.

Once he arrived after what felt like five minutes of sleeping, he could barely calm down his excitement and had to take a moment to breathe and wash his face, then asked for instructions and took his way to Goa, a coast state in the west of India. He had chosen that place mostly by faith, since everywhere in India seemed perfect on what he read, but he had let his inner self choose and had trusted his own choice. He took a bus, carrying only with his big backpack and his camera, smiling at everyone who crossed his vision. He arrived at night in Panaji, Goa's capital city, and looked for his hotel, a little place that seemed perfect for him to stay a few days before deciding on one of the two flats he had found online but wanted to see live first. The hotel looked like a big, old house and it was surrounded by so many trees and exotic plants that Michael felt like he was in the middle of the jungle as soon as he walked along the short path that lead to the entrance, everything lightened with beautiful ambience warm lights. He smiled excitedly and knocked at the door before opening it and was greeted by a young Indian woman who looked at him with big eyes and a blush as he confirmed his room reservation; he smiled softly as he remembered he was an exotic looking man in this country so he was going to have to get used to the stares, although he had read that Goa had a lot of European immigrants and families since it used to be a Portuguese province.

He thanked the blushing girl and left to his room, changing into a clean shirt since he had been sweating like crazy in this humid, warm climate, and went out to look for something to eat. He walked for about half an hour just looking at everything and wishing it was the next day already so he could see around in proper daylight, but was incredibly excited by the life of the city at night, the people and the delicious smell of every type of food that was sold in the street. He smiled as he remembered Jan telling him to not eat anything suspicious and how it was the first thing he did, asking for a plate of something that smelled and looked too good not to be eaten; he couldn't really catch its name because the woman who prepared and sold it didn't speak too much English and he definitely didn't speak any type of Indian language, but he surely wished to learn. He conformed on eating that night though, and thought he'd worry about languages and food names later.

That night he slept profoundly, because even as excited as he was, he felt like all the growing heaviness from the last months had been left behind already, far away, back in the gray city of London, and he felt calm for the first time in what felt like ages.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing!

I don't know why, but I keep picturing James as he looked in The Last King of Scotland in this story, haha. I'll just flow with that.

Hope you enjoy the chapter, thank you for reading!

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For a photographer, India was paradise. Nothing he'd ever seen before compared to the colors and life he saw as he walked from his hotel to the market, the first place he wanted to see. He was used to tall buildings, grey offices, glass and rain; he had traveled a lot before, he knew and had seen beautiful places, but this time it was different, since India was now his home, even if he'd been there less than twelve hours; he knew it in his heart, so everything he saw, amazed him. He arrived at the market and stood for a few seconds deciding where to go, and opted for a hallway that looked like it was mostly of species. He struggled with himself since he wanted to take pictures of absolutely everything, but also wanted to enjoy by just watching, so he managed to balance both things and took a long walk, asked for the names of things, touched and smelled species and fruits he'd never seen before, and a kind, smiling woman gave him a fig for him to try, then he bought half a dozen for a snack since he'd never had figs so sweet before.

As he kept walking along a sea of dark brown eyes, a fig on his hand and a smile on his lips, he stopped abruptly as a flash of the bluest blue caught his breath. Under the sun, a little Indian girl was wrapping a bright orange scarf on a man's head playfully, leaving only his eyes visible. They both laughed as she finished and she placed a kiss on his covered forehead, then left running with other kids. Michael stood there, unable to move, as he felt hypnotized by those eyes that looked so incredibly mysterious and beautiful surrounded by a simple orange wrap. It only lasted a few seconds since this man unwrapped his face out of the scarf as he stood up with a smile, and the beauty of the rest of him made him gasp in his place, conscious he was staring but there was nothing else he could really do.

On the past few days he had thought he'd probably find a dark, exotic, Indian man –whom he had always found very attractive- and fall madly in love with him when he was ready, but it hadn't been his priority at all when he decided on coming to India. This man wasn't Indian, but he _was_ exotic, curiously so, with gorgeous freckled skin that looked almost golden by what were evidently years of living under that sun, with dark golden hair and the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. He was so mesmerizingly beautiful that he looked otherworldly, and Michael fell in love right then, even if he had never really believed in love at first sight. He watched his delicate hands as he pulled at the scarf and left it on his neck, then started walking in his direction; he immediately looked back at Michael, who noticed a soft gasp coming from him and a sparkle in his eyes, and felt his own body trembling softly when their looks crossed, as if they had shared an electric shock that didn't let them stop looking at each other, and then he smiled gently at Michael, a bit flirtatious, just the perfect amount to leave him dizzy in his place. He disappeared in the crowd, and Michael knew those few seconds had changed him, and that he needed to find this man.

But first, he needed to find a home. He took a deep breath and made a little prayer to his insides, "please, let me find him again" he thought, and leaving it to destiny, walked for about an hour more and then went to visit those flats he had seen online. The first one was beautiful, but was a place that he wasn't sure it was what he wanted, since it was in the most modern part of the city. It was well located, but he wanted to be a bit closer to nature other than buildings; he walked around that area though, and it was certainly an interesting place. He took a bus back to his hotel since the other place was very near it, and used the opportunity to take another shower; his body had to get used to the heat or he was going to dehydrate himself out with sweating so much. Once he was clean and fresh again, he ate in the hotel's restaurant as he enjoyed the terrace and the sounds of nature around him, and let himself remember the little encounter of the morning with a sigh and a smile, then headed to the other place he had in mind.

"Good evening?" he said as he knocked on the slightly open door of the place the address marked. It was a big, old house with a flat on top, and that was the one they were offering; he knew a European family owned it since he had talked to the owner by e-mail. He had found it nice that there were other people they rented the house to living in the same place but he could have his privacy, and once he saw the area it was in, he thought the pictures online didn't make it any justice; the place was a dream. He was greeted by a man in a turban with a bright smile; "Hello –he said- I'm here to ask about the floor you're renting, I'm Michael Fassbender, I talked to Mrs. McAvoy by e-mail", he said a bit slowly since he wasn't sure the man would understand him, but he answered in perfect English, "oh, please come in, let me show you around", and Michael felt a bit silly. The man showed him the gardens and surroundings chattily, telling him how the McAvoys didn't live there but had owned the house and the land for a long time, and how they lived near there with their grandson and granddaughter, "who should be your around your age, you should meet", he had said. He had also mentioned their grandson had arrived around an hour ago and should be around there somewhere. "Last but not least –said the man- your place is right above this staircase, feel free to go see it, and you'll forgive me if I don't come with you but my hip's been hurting for a couple of weeks now" he said merrily, and Michael just nodded and smiled brightly at him, "please, don't worry, I'll go see around by myself and be right back", he answered politely, and the man just nodded and left, disappearing through the garden.

Michael took the outdoor stairs that lead to what would be his flat and really hoped for everything to be as great as the rest of the house and gardens, he was already picturing himself living there. Once he turned right to finish walking up the slightly crooked stairs, he gasped in surprise and stood in his place with big eyes, feeling his soul going to his feet: it was him, the man from the market was there, in his future terrace. He wanted to speak but the image before him was so magical that he let himself stand there and take a mental picture of it since he didn't bring his camera, wishing he could draw so he could translate it into something everybody else could see. The door-sized windows held long bright yellow drapes that were flying around, the wind lifting them easily and surrounding this man's figure marvelously, looking like those images in the movies when someone dreams or fantasizes of their loved ones; a beautiful, glowing person with teasing, flowing veils framing him, making him look like an absolute dream. He was looking at the mountains, offering Michael his profile, unaware someone had arrived. - Was everything magical in India? –thought Michael distantly.

"Hello", he spoke softly, hating himself for interrupting that moment; the other man gasped and turned to him instantly, and opened his eyes in surprise, his mouth dropping a bit in confusion, but then his whole expression turned into a soft smile, as if he had understood something. "Who _are_ you?" asked Michael more to himself than to him, with a little chuckle and a sigh, starting to think he was just imagining this person. "I'm James", he said softly, and Michael took the last few steps and got closer to shake his hand, "Michael", he said nervously, then felt all the worries fade away when he received a bright smile from James. "A- are you here to see the flat?" asked James after a few seconds, with a little blush after he realized they had held their handshake longer than necessary and had stared deeply into each other's eyes, again not being able not to.

"Yes, I'm… I think I'm moving in", he answered, assuming James was McAvoy grandson. "I see, I'm sorry, I didn't know someone was coming today – he said with a little blush – I just really like this balcony, it has the best view" he said, looking again at the mountains, and Michael found it hard to stop looking at him and look at the view, but once he did, he agreed with James. "It really is gorgeous" he said after a moment, and James smiled. "My grandparents own the house", he said, and Michael nodded, "yes, I've been talking to your grandmother, I believe", and James laughed, "you're Michael Fassbender? –Michael nodded in confusion – well, okay, I'm Mrs. McAvoy. I mean, that's my grandmother, but I'm the one who answers her clients' e-mails. It's very nice to meet you in person", he said with a flirtatious smile, and Michael had to fight the urge to remove that glorious strand of his longish hair away from his cheek.

He chuckled as he thought of destiny's weird ways, too. "That is… a pleasant coincidence. And it's very nice to meet you in person, too, Mrs. McAvoy", he said teasingly with a little wink, and James chuckled and bit his lip. "Do you want me to show you around?" he asked, gesturing at the flat right next to them which Michael had seemed to completely forgotten. "Oh, yes, that would be great, thanks", answered Michael coming out of his trance, and followed a smiling James. It turned out that the place was perfect, and Michael couldn't really believe his luck; as James was saying something about how the view in the sunrise was something he shouldn't miss even one day –James had lived in that flat for a few months before- Michael smiled and thought how he was seeming to get everything he was asking for and in a very short notice –"thank you"- he thought, sending a little impish look and smile up above.

James was the most gorgeous thing Michael had ever seen, and his voice transported him somewhere else; he wished to kiss him right there, to touch that beautiful skin and run his hands along his hair. It only took him two minutes to already venerate everything he said, the kind and optimistic words his red lips pronounced, his perfect height and gorgeous body, the vintage style he dressed in and cut his hair.

"You were at the market today", said Michael out of nowhere, but he couldn't not say so, it was right there and it would be silly not to acknowledge it. It didn't really mean anything, but it meant a lot at the same time, what he said, and James seemed to have understood the meaning of it, and smiled beautifully at him, "I saw you, too", he said gently, and Michael returned the peaceful smile, then they continued talking about a little leak that had to be fixed. "So, are you staying?" asked James looking at him brightly, and Michael decided that, if he was going to do this, he'd do it properly and using all of his charms. "Well, it depends –he answered with a little squint of his eyes- does it come with the man on the terrace?" he asked nonchalantly with a playful smile and raise of his eyebrow, and saw James blush tremendously; "I – uh" he managed to mumble and was interrupted by Michael, who said with a reassuring smile, "it's perfect, I'll stay". James smiled and bit his lip, speaking a soft "good".


	3. Chapter 3

That same Saturday afternoon, James took Michael to meet his grandmother so they could arrange Michael's decision on renting the floor. The house was very near so they had to walk just a few blocks as Michael told James why he was in India, and he adored how James' attention made him feel like he was saying the most interesting thing in the world. "Right here", said James as they arrived to a terracotta colored house with an antique door; he knocked and opened with his keys and gestured Michael to follow him, "this is my house - your house", he turned to look at him politely as he said that, and Michael chuckled, "thank you", he answered with a little smile that was returned by James. "Gran? Are you home?" he asked a bit loudly as they entered the living room, "yes, sweetheart!" was heard from another room; James asked Michael to wait a second and went to get her.

In those couple of minutes that he waited for James and his grandmother, he grinned and shook his heath in disbelief as he settled down to actually realize how odd everything was, in the best of ways, of course, but it still amazed him how things were going so well and it was just his first day there. "Hello, Michael, what a pleasure to have you here!" was the first thing James' grandmother said as she entered the room, a big smile on her face and getting close to shake hands with him; he quickly stood up and shook her hand, "the pleasure's mine, Mrs. McAvoy", he said, and for a second he felt as if he was meeting his boyfriend's mom. Yeah, he wished.

James smiled from the back, "I was telling Gran how you found me in the balcony and I showed you the flat" he said, and Michael smiled at how adorable he was. His grandmother rolled her eyes playfully, "if you decide to rent it, darling, you won't find him hanging around your house, I can promise that", she said, and James bit his lip with a little smile; Michael chuckled as he thought he definitely wouldn't mind that, but he wasn't going to say so, so he just said, "don't worry, it was a nice surprise". She smiled in a way that Michael suspected was a bit too knowingly so he added quickly to change the subject, "I loved the place, Mrs. McAvoy, what proceeds so I can rent it?". She nodded and gestured him to sit down, then sat on the couch in front of him; Michael eyed James for a second, who asked if he could get them something to drink. "Well, just water. Thank you, James", he said, and Mrs. McAvoy asked for water too; James nodded and left the room with a perky step.

It took only a couple of minutes for Mrs. McAvoy to ask what she needed to know before granting him the room in the other house, then when James came back they were talking about his life back in London and how he had decided to come to India. The three of them talked for a bit, and she told him how she and her husband had come from Scotland to India with their grandsons about 20 years ago, and how they had lived in the other house before, changed into the new one and had been renting the first one for about 10 years now. Mrs. McAvoy was a delight, and they both made Michael feel incredibly comfortable, something he noticed James had managed to do since the moment they had met: he made him feel like home, for some reason.

"So, when are you planning on moving in, sweetheart?" asked Mrs. McAvoy, and Michael hadn't really thought about that. "Uh… well, it could be on Monday, or tomorrow if that's not a problem", he answered; "tomorrow's great, please give me a call before you leave the hotel, okay?" she said as she handed him her card. Michael nodded, "I will. Thank you, really, the place is lovely", he said, and she answered with a sweet smile, "you're welcome, and we always want our guests to feel like home, you can call us whenever you want or need, and if you ever want to come visit, this is your house, too". Michael smiled gratefully at her and then looked at James, who smiled softly at him. "Well, I have a meeting in about an hour and I want to walk there, so I'm going to leave you kids but make yourself at home –said Mrs. McAvoy as she stood up, and both James and Michael stood up too to say goodbye to her - Michael, it's been a pleasure, and I'll be waiting for your call tomorrow, okay?" Michael nodded and shook her hand with a smile, then she kissed James' cheek, "bye, Gran", he said, and she left the room with a wave of her hand.

They looked at each other and smiled a bit bashfully; "your grandmother's the best", said Michael with a little chuckle, and James nodded, "I know. I love her to death –he said with a smile – and, you know? By renting that room you're also gaining a new grandmother yourself", he added with a chuckle. Michael laughed, "well, if you had put that in your sign I wouldn't even had thought about renting other place", he said, and James rose an eyebrow playfully, "oh, you had other place in mind?" Michael nodded, "yeah, I saw it this morning after I went to the market". James squinted at him playfully, "I see. What made you choose ours?" he asked with a little bit of a teasing tone, and Michael smiled. This man was too conscious of his own charms. "Well, it's all great, you know? The view, the location, the gardens… you – I mean – your family" he said with a blush at the end, he didn't mean it to sound like that but he guessed his subconscious was betraying him, and James hid his little smile with a bite of his lip. "I see. Yeah, the view's great", he said, then smiled fully at him as he rocked his body a little.

Michael really couldn't stop looking at him; he wanted to ask him out but he thought it'd be too soon and didn't want to be intrusive, so he took a deep breath before saying he should get going; right before saying so, James looked at his clock and rose his eyebrows, "oh, I… I have to go –he said with a little frown- I have an appointment in 15 minutes". Michael nodded, "yes, of course. What's your appointment about? – he asked- I mean, if it's not indiscreet", he added with a little blush. James smiled and shook his head, "not at all, don't worry. It's an appointment with a client, I'm a physiotherapist – he said as they started walking towards the door - and a masseuse", he added with a smile.

Michael rose his eyebrows, "that's so great!" he said a bit excitedly "I've always been very fond of physiotherapists because of my rugby days back in school", he added, and James laughed, "why, thank you. We're very fond of rugby players, too. They keep us working", he said, and Michael laughed, too. "Also massages are very cool", he said with a soft smile already stepping outside the door, thinking for himself how stupidly sexy he found it that it was his actual profession, as if he wasn't too perfect already; James blushed a little, "thank you. You know –he hesitated for a moment- I give one free massage to our guests renting the house as a welcome gift" he said with an impish smile, and Michael chuckled, "oh, you do?" he asked with a little raise of his eyebrow. James' smiled went a bit wider, "no, not really – they both laughed- But I could make an exception, maybe". Michael smiled and bit his lip, "That'd… yes, consider it", he said a bit flirtatiously, and James sniggered. "I do have to go" he said, giving a couple step backwards with a little smile on his face, "but I'll see you very soon. It's been great meeting you, Michael", he added sweetly, and Michael nodded, smiling a little goofily, "thank you, James, it's been a pleasure". They both waved their hands and Michael stood in his place for a few seconds, watching James go in the opposite direction of his hotel, then started walking. It was just the afternoon so he walked around the place, passed in front of his future house and walked the surroundings, making a mental map for himself, and tried not to think too much about those blue eyes.

Next day, he woke up early again and used the morning to go visit a temple he had read about; the place was impressive and stunning, and he took beautiful photos of it and its details, also of the people who were there to pray. After about an hour there, he felt a bit of a need to say a little prayer himself so he used the opportunity to give thanks for his adventure, and asked for his heart to be open to read the signs, to do things well.

He spent there all morning and after eating, he went back to the hotel to pick his things up and change into his new flat; he called Mrs. McAvoy from the hotel as she had asked him to, and after a couple of rings, someone picked up the phone. "Hello?" he heard her say, "hello, Mrs. McAvoy, it's Michael", he said, and she answered quickly, "Oh, hello Michael darling. How are you?"; Michael chuckled, "I'm very good, thank you. How are you?" he asked, and he heard a bit of ruffling on the other side, then she chuckled, "I'm very good, too. Are you coming to the flat already?" she asked. Michael nodded even if she couldn't see him, "yeah, I was wondering if it's a good time for me to go and settle", he said. "Yes, yes, it's perfect. James will be there in a few minutes to help you out", she said, and Michael blushed, "oh, don't worry please, it's not necessary, I just have one backpack and my camera", he said, not wanting to disturb him but God, did he want to see him again. "Nonsense. Wait up for him, okay?" she said in a way that reminded him of his mother, so he knew he shouldn't argue, "okay, Mrs. McAvoy, thank you very much, and tell James I say thanks", he said with a little chuckle. "Don't worry darling, see you later!" she said, and Michael smiled for himself as he heard her hang up the phone.

He took his shirt off and changed into a clean, white one and washed his face again. He felt butterflies in his stomach as he thought he'd be seeing James again in a few minutes, then looked in the mirror again and groomed his slight beard and short hair; not that there was much to groom but he was nervous. He checked out from the hotel and waited for him in the entrance, and after a couple minutes he saw a little blue Vespa coming down the street in his direction; he smiled as he remembered the one he owned when he was in University, then squinted and realized it was James in the Vespa, and his smile grew wider; he wanted to marry this man already. "Well, hello there", said Michael with a little chuckle as James parked in front of him, and James blushed as he laughed, "well, we thought you might need a ride. How are you?" he asked getting closer to him. "I'm great, and you?", he asked with a tiny touch to his forearm; James smiled softly, "I'm great, too". "I'm glad –said Michael with a big smile now, and then turned to look at the bike- I love your Vespa, I used to have one a few years ago" he said, caressing the handle with a melancholic grin, "you did? They're awesome –said James excitedly- do you wanna drive it?" he added, and Michael's eyes grew bigger, "really?", he asked, and James chuckled tenderly.

"Of course. I'll carry your backpack and you can carry the camera case on your lap", he said, already taking Michael's backpack; "well, it is a bit heavy", said Michael a bit worriedly, he didn't want James to make any effort, and helped him pick it up. James laughed, "I'm stronger than I look, don't worry –he said with a gentle smile – but thanks for worrying", he added. "Okay, sorry. And you're welcome", he answered teasingly, causing James to laugh; "are you ready? You hop on first and I'll go on the back", said James, handing him the keys. Michael was exceedingly happy, the whole situation excited him and he wasn't sure if it was more because of riding the bike or because of having an excuse to have James sitting so close to him, which was happening in that exact moment. He felt James hesitate about where to place his arms, then surrounded Michael's torso softly; "you okay back there?" he asked, and James spoke near his neck, "yes, It's perfect", his tone a bit lower. Michael swallowed and nodded, "let's go, then". The excitement was definitely about James.

They rode for what felt like just a minute, and arrived at Michael's new home. "I wish it was further away", he said with a soft laugh as he parked, and James chuckled too, "I know. Don't worry, you can leave your things and then we'll have a longer ride", he said, the soft breath on his neck giving Michael a delicious feeling all throughout his spine. He smiled and nodded, "that would be amazing" he said, then jumped down and helped James to get down too, immediately taking the backpack from him. "Thank you", said James a bit bashfully and Michael noticed a bit of a stare at his arms and torso as he put the backpack on. "No, thank you", he said with a charming smile.

They entered the house with James' key, as he explained to Michael that Rajul, the housekeeper, didn't work on Sunday. The couple that lived in the house downstairs weren't there, either. "Oh", said Michael when they entered his flat and saw things were changed, there were sheets on the bed, a few lamps that weren't there before, and it was all swept and shiny. "It looks great", he said, looking around, and heard James chuckle, "yeah, it does. Gran told Rajul you'd be moving in today so I guess he must have arranged things last night", he said, and Michael made a mental note on thanking him for doing so in such a short notice, he had thought he was going to do it himself that afternoon. "There's bowls and plates and all those kinds of things already, so you don't need to buy those", said James as he watched Michael looking around; "that's great", he said from the bathroom, "God, there's even a new soap in here", he added with a little chuckle, feeling like he was the guest in a hotel more than he was renting a flat. He heard James laugh softly, "I told you you were getting a brand new grandmother, too", he said jokingly. Michael stepped out the bathroom with a big smile, "I'm so lucky I found you and your family, you're all so great", he said, and he meant it from the heart. James smiled at him heartily, and with a little shrug he said, "India has always treated us like home. I guess we want the rest of the people to feel like that, too". Michael nodded and smiled softly; "well, you do".

They looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds, a thing Michael realized they had done a couple times already without really noticing, but there was this intense chemistry and energy between them that he didn't really know what to do with other than share it through longing stares; he looked down, "I, uhm… I need to go buy some food, I think", he said, and James nodded quickly, "yes, of course. You can take the bike, if you want", he said a bit nervously, causing Michael to smile tenderly at him; "you could come with me, if you don't have other plans", he said, and James smiled back with a soft and blushed "okay". "You know –started Michael- actually I'd… maybe we could have a cup of coffee first? Or tea or whatever you want", he said as he felt a bright blush coming to his cheeks, and he had forgotten how that felt. He was very nervous, but he craved James' company and wanted to let him know that he wasn't just interested in his help, he was interested in him. James' eyes went a bit bigger, making him look adorable, then smiled impishly and said, "I'd love to" with a soft voice that acted as a soothing technique impeccably on Michael's nerves. Michael smiled, "you'll have to choose the place, though, since I don't know any place in here", he said with a soft laugh, and James smiled brightly, "don't worry, I know the perfect one".


	4. Chapter 4

I own nothing!

Hope you enjoy this chapter :) thank you for reading!

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They entered in a tea and coffee place where James greeted the girl in the entrance in her language, and Michael nodded at her with a smile. They walked in an open terrace with a few wooden tables; the sun was already lowering and there were Christmas lights all over the place, making it look very comfy and dreamlike. There were also some warm colored fabrics hanging from tree to tree, it smelled of incense and there was Zither music plating in the background. "This is one of my favorite places", said James as Michael looked around him with big eyes, his senses trying to absorb everything. "It's beautiful", he said turning to look at James, who smiled proudly and directed them both at what seemed was the table he usually sat on.

"What do you feel like drinking?" asked James, obviously excited about showing him a bit of his own India; "I'm not sure, I'd usually drink coffee at this time", he said, and James commented quickly, "oh, you drink coffee at tea time? Are you a radical, or what?" he asked jokingly, and Michael laughed, "you respect tea time after so many years?" he asked with a little raise of his eyebrows. James chuckled, "my grandparents do. I lived in Scotland just for six years so I know the traditions mostly because of them", he said with a little shrug. Michael nodded, "I see. Well, yes, I usually drink coffee at tea time, but I do want to try something different here, so I'll just ask for what you think is the best they have". James squinted thoughtfully with a little smile, "that's a big responsibility, but I'll take it", he said teasingly. Michael chuckled, "thank you, I trust in your decision. So you lived 6 years in Scotland and you've been here for 20?" asked Michael, who was a little relieved when he did the math because James looked actually younger than that; "yes, and yes, I'm 26 –answered James with a little nod of his head- I just turned 26, actually, in April". Michael raised his eyebrows, "oh, I turned 30 this April, too".

James was about to say something but was interrupted by a young girl who came to their table with a couple of menus, "hello James", she said with a little smile, then turned to look at Michael and smiled at him too. "Oh, hello Anya, how are you? –said James merrily- Anya, this is Michael, Michael, this is Anya" he added turning to each of them, and they shook hands with bright smiles, "you know what, darling, don't leave the menus, we know what we want already", said James when Anya placed the menus on the table, "oh, okay", she answered with a thick Indian accent; "it's gonna be a Chai and a Peppermint tea, and coconut biscuits, please", he said looking at her, and Michael wondered how she didn't melt right in her place; "you want milk for the Chai?", she asked, and James smiled at her knowingly, "yes, please", he answered, and she nodded happily and went away. James chuckled, "I come here too often for her to not know by heart that I always ask for milk on my Chai", he said with a soft laugh, and Michael chuckled too, "she looks very sweet", he said, and James nodded, "yes, she's very sweet, actually, we've all loved her since day one" he said with a smile.

"So you know the place since it opened?" asked Michael. "Yeah, the owner has been my yoga teacher for years, and when he changed his studio location to this one –he pointed at the little building where the kitchen was- which is on the second floor right there, he decided to open a café too, since the space was perfect for it… this was about five years ago", he said, and Michael raised his eyebrows excitedly, "you practice yoga? That's so cool, I actually wanted to ask you if you knew a place, I'm very interested on learning", he said, and James smiled brightly, "really? That's great! I know a lot of places, but this one's the best –he said with a little chuckle- you can come with me to class next week, if you want", he added with a little coquettish smile. Michael smiled back, "thank you, I'd love that. Although if you've been practicing it for more than five years, I'm pretty sure we won't be on the same class or level", he said, and James shook his head, "don't worry, some classes are multi-level and some are for beginners or advanced levels, so we can come together to a couple classes and if you like it you can stay at the beginners class. Actually I teach that class sometimes", he said, and Michael felt his lower stomach jolt at picturing James in all those intricate yoga positions; "you do? Then you must be very good", he said with a lower tone that wasn't too intentional. "I don't know – said James with a little blush- I've been practicing it for 10 years and my teacher trusts me, I guess". Michael nodded, "also your career must help", he said, and James smiled, "yes, I think so too. It helps me understand the body's healing ways in a more complete way".

Michael smiled and sighed a little; he admired James already even if he didn't know too much about him yet, but he found him interesting and noble, and way too charming. Anya came in that moment and served the beverages and biscuits; "thank you, Anya", said Michael, and James smiled at him beautifully, and so did she; "you're welcome, enjoy" she said gleefully and retired with a little bow of her head. "So, which one's yours?" asked Michael, looking at the two cups, "well, mine's the Peppermint one, I want you to try the Chai –said James, adding milk to Michael's cup and placing it in front of him, then added one sugar- here you go" he said, and Michael adored how he just took power of Michael's tea as if they had known each other for years, without pretenses or worries. "Thank you, it smells great", said Michael, and took a sip of it before a warm moan escaped from him, "God", he said softly and closed his eyes a second. It was delicious; it didn't taste like any Chai he had tasted back in England. "I know, right?" said James proudly, and started sipping on his own cup. They tried the biscuits, which were delightful, too, and Michael thought for a second of his life three days ago, back in his flat with dark coffee and dull biscuits. Okay, the dark coffee and the biscuits were all right, to be fair, but it didn't compare to this experience, much less the company.

"Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about you, mystery man. You're from London, and you're 30, and what else?", he asked with bright eyes, and Michael chuckled; "well. I'm actually not from London, I'm from Ireland, but I lived in London for a long time –he said, then took another sip of his tea- I studied Business, mostly because of my dad who always dreamed of me as a businessman, and I didn't have the heart to not do what he wanted when I decided on my BA… I was too young, I guess. Anyway, I've worked in a big corporation for years… until I realized, or accepted, that it wasn't what I wanted, at all", James nodded sympathetically, and they shared a little smile "Anyway, I've always loved photography, I studied it too when I was younger and have taken courses and workshops, since it has always been my hobby, and I've finally decided that I want to pursue a career on photography instead of business", he said, then took a biscuit and gave a bite, thoughtfully. James smiled brightly, "and now you're here. I understand, and I think it's great that you decided to do something about it, it requires a lot of bravery to change your career to pursue your dreams", he said, and Michael felt his heart go a little warmer, "thank you, that's very sweet. I don't know if it was brave or silly but that's what I did –he said with a little chuckle- and I decided on coming to India to breathe a different air, and take pictures for my portfolio, make it more solid. My biggest dream is to work for National Geographic", he said, and James nodded, "that's great, it's a beautiful job –he paused for a moment and looked at his fingers- I… yeah, India is the perfect place for that", he added, and Michael smiled, but noticed the slight change in James' tone, but he didn't understand the reason.

"India seems like the perfect place for everything though, I've only been here for two days and I'm already in love", he said with a small but charming smile, being intentionally ambiguous. James looked up at him with a slight raise of his eyebrow, sighed a little and smiled, "it makes me happy to hear that", he said with a soft voice, and Michael could see a glimpse in his eyes, making them look bluer, gorgeous. They talked about different things during that afternoon, and it felt like they had known each other longer than two days; the conversation was easy and fun, they made each other laugh and threw a few flirtatious smiles or glimpses once in a while at each other. When they asked for the bill, James gestured on taking his wallet out and Michael placed his hand on top of James' hand for a second, "please, allow me", he said, and saw James blush and nod with a sweet smile, "thank you", he said, to which Michael shook his head with a smile of his own, "it's my pleasure", he answered.

After they left the café, they went to a small supermarket for Michael to buy the things he needed, and then they drove back to Michael's house. During the ride, Michael realized how James was much more relaxed as he held Michael's sides, and he even placed his chin on Michael's shoulder blade for a second, with the excuse of telling him something, and it made Michael smile and his stomach rumble again, like more than once that evening.

"I had a great time, thank you so much, James", said Michael as he offered his hand for James to come down the Vespa, which James accepted eagerly; "no, thank you", he said a bit bashfully, standing right in front of Michael's taller figure. He looked at James' beautiful features and felt his mouth water dangerously as James licked his lower lip innocently, or maybe not so innocently, he'd never know, but he looked gorgeous and way too kissable for his own good. The soft, warm air brushed against their skin and ruffled James' hair, a strand staying on his cheek, and Michael removed it softly without realizing when he did, until his hand was there and James' eyes went slightly bigger. He brushed his thumb against his cheek, and they both held their breath for a moment; "I'm sorry", he said after a second and removed his hand with a bright blush, and James smiled sweetly, "no, don't be", he said, giving a reassuring stroke to Michael's arm.

He'd never felt such a strong chemistry with someone so quickly, he felt vulnerable under this man's look, as if those beautiful eyes could see right into his soul and accepted him just as he was, and Michael was willing to dive into those deep blue waters every second of every day. He wished to kiss James, and the way he was looking at him at that moment didn't help at all; he could read James' expression, and he _knew_ he wanted Michael to kiss him too, but Michael knew he should wait, so he would. "Can I have your number?" asked Michael in a soft voice, not fully wanting to interrupt the tranquility of their shared longing stare, but knowing he had to. And he really did want James' number. "Yes, of course", answered James like coming out of a trance, and took his wallet out to hand him his card, "here", he said, taking Michael's hand and opening it carefully, then placing the card on his palm, "don't lose it", he added with a little teasing smile, taking one tiny step closer and looking up at him, only making Michael realize how their height difference was so deliciously perfect he could die right there. He chuckled, "I'd lose the keys to the flat before losing your number", he said, his full flirting mode on, and James' flirtatious smile grew bigger. "I… don't have a phone – he added when he remembered this little detail- but I'll get one tomorrow, probably. I'll let you know as soon as I do", he said, and James chuckled, "please do".

Michael turned to look at the Vespa and sighed, "I should probably think about acquiring some way of transportation, too", he said, and James nodded, "I know a guy who sells these babies. I'll give you his contact when you call me", he said with a playful smirk, "perfect, that way I can pick you up and drive you home next time", said Michael. James nodded and smiled brightly, "sounds like a plan. Good night, foreigner", he said, standing on his tiptoes and kissing Michael's cheek, placing his hand on his arm. Michael gasped softly and felt his stomach throw a party and his skin tingle at the contact, "good night, rescuer", he said softly, gaining a beautiful smile from James right before he got on the bike and they both waved at each other good-bye. Michael stood there watching him go and enjoying the warm breeze, then went inside the house, took the stairs and turned the lights of his flat, placing all the things he bought on the small table. It was a beautiful little home, and the whole situation made him feel a warmness in his heart that he couldn't really put a name to, but it was the most refreshing feeling he had had for a long time.


End file.
